A Chinese barbecue restaurant has gone viral for selling bamboo skewers seasoned with a mix of spices, chili, and spring onions to people looking to enjoy the flavor of barbecue without the calories.

Last month, Chinese media reported the hottest late-night snack in Southern China, an unusual “dish” called Spicy Bamboo Skewers. Thought up by a barbecue restaurant owner in Shaoyang, Hunan Province, the unusual treat consists of bamboo skewers seasoned with a mix of spices, chili, and spring onions before being tossed on the barbecue to add a bit of smokiness to the mix. The wooden skewers are then sold in batches of 50 for just 10 yuan ($1.4), making them both affordable and delicious. Just in case you’re wondering, you don’t eat the bamboo skewers, instead you suck the flavor off of them as a guilt-free snack.

Mr Ma, the man credited for coming up with Spicy Bamboo Skewers, claims he was inspired by the weight-conscious women stopping by his restaurant late in the evening and refusing to order anything because they were afraid of putting on weight. So, he came up with a snack that allowed such clients to satisfy their craving for fresh barbecue without the added calories.

Originally, Spicy Bamboo Skewers were meant as a gimmick designed to attract attention, especially online, through platforms like Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), but after a clip of Mr Ma enjoying his unusual treats, people flocked to the restaurant to try the seasoned skewers for themselves. Nowadays, Ma reportedly has hundreds of orders every day, which is really putting pressure on his stock of bamboo skewers. But the entrepreneur isn’t complaining, as he makes a profit of around 5 or 6 yuan on every order of seasoned skewers.

Interestingly, it wasn’t too long ago that we featured two other equally bizarre Chinese snacks – grilled ice cubes and stir-fried river rocks – both of which have had their share of media coverage.